Refrigerator appliances generally included cabinets that define chilled chamberd for receipt of food items for storage. For example, a cabinet can define a fresh food chamber and/or a freezer chamber. The fresh food chamber can be maintained at a temperature greater than the freezing point of water. Conversely, the freezer chamber can be maintained at a temperature equal to or less than the freezing point of water.
In many refrigerator appliances, a casing houses the cabinet(s) and the machinery (such as the refrigeration cycle components) of the refrigeration appliance. The casing can, for example, be formed from a plurality of panel walls which define an interior in which the cabinets are positioned. Additionally, a casing bottom can further define the interior in which the cabinets are positioned, and can define a machinery component in which machinery such as the refrigeration cycle components are positioned.
Various issues can occur during assembly of refrigeration appliances which utilize panelized casings. For example, the back wall and the casing bottom are typically directly joined together through the use of screws, rivets, etc. This approach to such assembly can, however lead to foam leakage through the back wall-casing bottom intersection and through the holes created by the screws, rivets, etc. when foam is added to the refrigeration appliance between the casing and the cabinet. Additionally, tubing for various purposes, such as for flowing refrigerant therethrough, may need to extend across the back wall-casing bottom intersection and be properly positioned for coupling to machinery components in the machinery compartment. However, in many cases foaming causes movement of the tubing, leading to difficulties in subsequent coupling. Still further, in many cases, wiring may extend across the back wall-casing bottom intersection for providing electrical power, etc., to various components. The screws, rivets, etc. utilized to join the back wall and casing bottom, however, may in some cases contact and potentially damage the wires.
Accordingly, improved casings for refrigerator appliances are desired in the art. In particular, casings with reduced foam leakage, improved tubing positioning features, and improved features for safeguarding wiring of associated refrigerator appliances would be advantageous.